The present invention relates to an object detection sensor and a method for producing the object detection sensor.
A conventional electric door opening and closing device, which opens and closes an opening (entrance, rear opening, and the like) formed in a vehicle body by moving a door panel with electric power using drive force of a motor and the like, includes an object detection sensor. The object detection sensor detects an object located between a peripheral portion of the opening and the door panel to prevent the object from being caught between the peripheral portion of the opening and the door panel.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-237289 describes an example of an object detection sensor that detects an object when elastically deformed by external force applied by the object. The object detection sensor includes a hollow insulator having an elongated cord-like shape. A bore extends through the hollow insulator in a longitudinal direction. Electrode wires extend through the hollow insulator in the longitudinal direction. Further, a support member is coupled to one end of the hollow insulator in the longitudinal direction. The support member supports a terminal electrically connected by welding and the like to electrode wires drawn out from the end of the hollow insulator in the longitudinal direction. The support member includes a spacer inserted into the bore of the hollow insulator and having a cross-sectional shape conforming to the cross-sectional shape of the bore. Further, a terminal molded member, which is formed from an insulative synthetic resin, covers the support member together with the longitudinal end of the adjacent hollow insulator. The terminal molded member is formed through injection molding or transfer molding.
When molding the terminal molded member of the object detection sensor described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-237289, the longitudinal end of the hollow insulator accommodating the support member and the spacer are arranged in a mold. Then, the mold is filled with melted resin to mold the terminal molded member. The melted resin is filled into the mold under a high pressure. Thus, the melted synthetic resin may enter the hollow insulator from between an outer circumferential surface of the spacer and an inner circumferential surface of the bore, move beyond the spacer, and advance deep into the bore.